


Hedgehogs and Friends

by PinkGloom



Series: Otherworld & Fantasy AUs [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Kidlock, Sherlock just wants a friend!, becoming friends, fluffy feels, hedgehogs are parallel to the boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2017-12-21 06:43:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/897072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkGloom/pseuds/PinkGloom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Kind of hedgehog John and Sherlock. Really, more its they have their animal and human pairs. Blargh, I just want to write kidlock all of a sudden.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Hedgehogs and Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of hedgehog John and Sherlock. Really, more its they have their animal and human pairs. Blargh, I just want to write kidlock all of a sudden.

Sherlock covered the pillow over his head and tried to block out the guilt. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now the hedgehog only looked at him with sad eyes and made soft mournful sounds. 

 

The small brown hedgehog had approached him in the park. Sherlock had dismissed it at first but it had nuzzled into his palm and Sherlock had finally relented. He had picked the small creature up and it had seemed to smile at him. 

 

When Mummy had finally called him back, Sherlock had hidden the small hedgehog in his coat without a second thought. He had been so sure that the small animal would be happy. His house was much warmer and more comfortable than the woods. Instead the hedgehog had looked around in confusion and fright after Sherlock had taken it out of his coat. 

 

Sherlock had tried to calm the animal. It had looked up at Sherlock sorrowfully and for once in his life, Sherlock Holmes regretted his actions. 

 

_Of course it doesn’t want to be there with me. No one ever wants to be with me._ Instead of releasing the hedgehog, he kept it. He tried to cox it to eat with fresh lettuce and other vegetables but all it would do was stare up at him mournfully. 

 

“You hate me, don’t you? Everyone does. I suppose animals are no different.” Sherlock tossed his pillow against the wall and brought his knees up, so he could hug them as tight as he could. There was a nudge at his hip and Sherlock looked down to see the hedgehog snuggling closer. 

 

With a flash of understanding, Sherlock finally saw what he had chose to ignore. “I’m alone, but you’re not. I took you from your friends, family.” The hedgehog made a small noise in agreement. 

 

Sherlock’s lip wavered and he bit it harder. _Even this small animal has more friends than me._

 

Sherlock almost got up to work on an experiment. But the bed was warm and an overpowering tiredness had seeped into his bones. Shifting down, Sherlock laid on the soft covers. He placed his hand next to the hedgehog, and it crawled up onto his hand. Sherlock placed it on his chest. 

 

“I’ll take you home tomorrow.” Sherlock’s voice was thick. Even though he would be alone again, he couldn’t keep the animal at his house if it was missing its family. The hedgehog huffed and snuggled up into his hand. Sherlock couldn’t decide if he wanted to smile or frown. 

______________________________________________________________________

 

Like the last time, Sherlock hid the hedgehog in his jacket and brought it back to the park. He crouched down and gently placed the hedgehog on the dirt. It let out a happy squeak and another darker hedgehog appeared from the woods. 

 

The darker one trotted over and let out a happy noise in reply. They rubbed noses together affectionately. Together, they made noises back and forth; it was almost like a conversation. Eventually, they turned to look at Sherlock. 

 

“I’m sorry.” Sherlock never apologized for anything. Then again, he had never felt so bad about something he had done before. Melancholy clenched at Sherlock’s heart and he smiled softly. His all too old eyes finally softened and he looked more like his six years then he normally did. “I won’t try and take you again. Any one of you.”  


“Oh, there he is.” An older but smaller boy bounded up to crutch next to Sherlock. 

 

Sherlock felt his cheeks flush hot in embarrassment. He had just been speaking to animals. 

 

“I was so worried about you.” The small boy’s fingers extend to nudge the brownish hedgehog. It gave a happy snort in reply. “Thank you for finding him.” The boy turned to Sherlock and smiled at him broadly. Sherlock’s breath caught in his throat and he was at a lost for words. 

 

The boy went back to the two happy hedgehogs and petted them with his fingers. Pressure was building inside Sherlock and when he could take it no longer, he blurted out, “I took the other hedgehog home.” 

 

He know the admission would have the smiling boy frowning, but something inside Sherlock made it vital that he admitted to his guilt of taking home the small animal. 

 

“I’m glad you brought him back. The other one was so lonely without his friend.” The boy’s tone was light. There was nothing that sounded like accusation. Sherlock heaved an internal sigh of relief. 

 

“My name’s John.” The small blonde boy offered another friendly smile.

 

“I’m Sherlock.” It was out before he could stop it. He didn’t want to befriend this small common looking boy. Still, Sherlock stayed rooted to the spot unable to walk away from the first person that had smiled at him in longer than he could remember. 

 

“Why did you take him, Sherlock?” It was a simple question. Why did the answer have to be so complex? 

 

_Because I wanted a friend. Even if it couldn’t answer me, I needed something to talk too. There’s this void that I can’t seem to fill with my experiments or my studies. I just want a friend._

 

“I don’t have to tell you.” Sherlock stood up. Even though he was almost the same height, he needed to feel taller. 

 

“Okay. That’s fine. Just don’t take him again.” John pointed to the two hedgehogs that hadn’t moved from each other’s sides since Sherlock had placed the other one on the ground. “The darker one is smarter but he needs his friend. He was so sad.” Like before, there is no bit to John’s words. He was simply stating facts. 

 

“I know.” Sherlock’s voice was hushed and he meant his words. 

 

John petted the hedgehogs one more time before standing up. “So, what are you doing? Want to play together? I was just playing adventurer. We can play something else too.” He gave Sherlock another happy smile. Sherlock wondered how it was even possible for one person to smile so much. 

 

“I-” The word ‘freak’ reverberated in his head and Sherlock’s mouth clamped shut. He had tried to make friends before but it had always ended badly. “No, why would I want to play with you?” 

 

John looked taken aback. “There’s no one else here. Come on! We’ll have fun.” 

 

Before he could stop himself, Sherlock nodded. 

 

John smiled. Sherlock felt another blush creeping up his cheeks. 

 

“Are you okay with adventurer? I was exploring the woods.” John started to walk away and Sherlock didn’t move to follow. 

 

John turned around and motioned Sherlock to follow him. Sherlock walked slowly to join the other boy. They played for a few minutes and Sherlock actually started to have fun. Naturally, the game was dull but Sherlock found it became harder and harder not to want to smile at the ridiculous things the other boy said. 

 

Sherlock was eyeing some mysterious mould on a tree when John popped up behind him. “What are you looking at?”

 

“This mould. It’s an unusual colour and there’s a flaky quality to it that I’ve never seen before. I wish I would have brought a petri dish so I could take it home.” The words were out before Sherlock could stop them. 

 

Sherlock closed his eyes, waiting for the name calling that would be soon to follow. How could John not? Sherlock had just displayed an unhealthy interest in mould. 

 

“I have baggy you could use.” John reached into his pocket and brought out an empty lunch baggy. “It had crisps in it but I already ate those. Can you use this?” 

 

Sherlock couldn’t. The crumbs from the crisps would taint the sample. Normally, Sherlock would state this without caring if he hurt the other person. Now he didn’t want to hurt John’s feelings. There was something else that bothered Sherlock more. “Aren’t you going to tease me?” 

 

“What?” John blinked. 

 

“I like mould. That’s weird.” Sherlock had no idea why he was setting himself up to be teased. Did he want John to shove him to the ground? _No, it’s better just to get it done now. I don’t want him to be nice only to pull away. Better for him to hate me now. I have no friends._

 

“Yeah, it’s a bit weird.” John shrugged his shoulders. “If you like it...doesn’t bother me.” 

 

“I have experiments at my house. I compare moulds and funguses.” Sherlock didn’t want John to tease him but the casual way that John dismissed his ‘freakishness’ made Sherlock both worried and hopeful all at the same time. 

 

“Really? You’ll have to show me. Never seen anything like that before.” John just continued to smile and cocked his head to the side. 

 

“You don’t think I’m a freak?” Sherlock’s voice was too vulnerable sounding and he knitted his eyebrows together. 

 

“No! Why would I think that?” John shook his head. “Come on, let’s keep exploring. I know where we are so we can come back and get the mould tomorrow.” He turned to go and then stopped. John extended his hand and Sherlock stared at it like a foreign object. _Did he just say we can play again tomorrow? He wants to see me again?_

 

John stepped forward and grabbed Sherlock’s hand. Sherlock was reminded of the small warmth from holding the hedgehog in his hand. John’s hand was pleasantly rough in his and Sherlock tightened his grip on it. 

 

Sherlock knew he would have to bring fresh vegetables for the hedgehog and his friend again. Because they had helped him finally met his own friend. 


End file.
